Very recently my dragon (Max who is acutaly a girl) started limping on an arm that swelled up suddently and without warning. There was nothing building up to it it just seemed to happen. For a few days it seemed to be improving and she even used it to dig a nest at one point. It doesn't seem to be changing much now. What could have caused this and what should I be concerned about? There was a fairly small spider I fished out of here tank the day after it started so would that be it? She also has a sore on the bottom of one of her toes on the swolen arm that she developed last summer when she started digging a nest and never seemed to finish (meaning she was at it for a VERY long time) so could she have iritated it and this be the result? Any help you could give me would be appreciated.
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Swolen Arm?
Replies (3)
This is from an Article by Stephen Barten that appears in the Differential Diagnosis section of Douglas Mader's Reptile Medicine and Surgery. People were diagnosing swellings as gout in a thread below, but I believe in this case and that one below MBD is the real problem due to other clues in the posts.
You said your dragon is or has been gravid around the time of the onset.. That suggests MBD or other deficiency in my opinion. Here is the article:
The most common cause of lameness in lizards is MBD (metabolic bone disease). This may be manifested as nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, fibrous osteodystrophy, osteoporosis, pathologic fractures, and folding fractures. Swollen or mishappen mandibles and limbs are common and may be symmetric or asymmetric. Other causes of lameness include fractures or soft tissue injuries resulting from trauma, bites from cage mates, neoplasia, and cellulitis and abcesses. ...Joint problems may be a symptom of gout, septic arthritis, or degenerative joint disease caused by trauma or arthritis. Gout is caused by nephritis and consists of radiolucent uric acid deposits in the joints.
Also suspect an abcess if there has been a wound in the area.
This, of course, needs to be checked out by a qualified vet. I trust you already have an appointment.
Yeah, I'd definitely get it checked by a vet. Unless I have misunderstood you the sore on her toe shouldn't be there for a year and never be checked by a vet. Who knows what kind of stuff may be going on there? It may be causing the swelling problem as well as others that are not visible. Just a thought.
Good luck!
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Rob Talkington
